Robert William Goehring was born on February 12, 1917, at Somerville, N.J., where he was graduated from high school in 1935. With an appointment as cadet on August 5, 1935, he entered the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn., where he was graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree and commissioned an Ensign on May 29, 1939.
Subsequently, he advanced in rank as follows: Lieutenant (jg), November 1, 1941; Lieutenant, June 15, 1942; Lieut. Commander, December 1, 1943; Commander, January 26, 1951; Captain, July 1, 1960; Rear Admiral, July 1, 1967.
On his first assignment he reported to the Coast Guard Cutter Cayuga, based at Boston. From May 1941 until January 1943, during World War II, he served aboard the 327-ft. Cutter Duane which operated out of Boston on weather patrol and North Atlantic convoy escort duty. For the remainder of the war he was gunnery instructor at the Coast Guard Academy.
During the post-war months between October 1945 and September 1946, he was executive officer of the Coast Guard manned troop transport USS General A.W. Greely (AP-141) in which he sailed out of New York on one and a half trips around the world. After seeing the transport decommissioned at Seattle and returned to the Army, he again served out of his former Boston homeport as executive officer first aboard the Cutter Owasco (WPG-39) then the Icebreaker Storis which took him to Greenland waters.
In September 1947, he was assigned to Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., first as Assistant Chief then as Chief of the Estimate and Control Section of the Budget Division. During this tour, he served as the Coast Guard member on the Hook Commission, which made the first comprehensive study of the relationship of military pay to the pay of civilian counterparts. From September 1949 to July 1951, he was a student at the Harvard Graduate School of Business where he received a M.B.A. Degree with Distinction. He was then assigned as Chief of Finance and Supply Division oat the Ninth Coast Guard District office in Cleveland. In May 1953, he returned to Coast Guard Headquarters to serve four years as Chief of the Statistical Service Division in the Office of the Comptroller.
After commanding the Cutter Castle Rock out of Boston on North Atlantic ocean station patrol duty from July 1957 to September 1958, he returned again to Coast Guard Headquarters to duty as Chief, Budget and Cost Analysis Division. He remained at the post until September 1962, when he became Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Base in Boston.
In July 1965, RADM Goehring transferred to the 2nd Coast Guard District, St. Louis, Mo., where he first served as Chief of Operations until June 1966, when he became Chief of Staff of that district.
He returned for his fourth duty at Coast Guard Headquarters in June1967, in the two-star flag ranking post of Chief, Office of Operations. This assignment came subsequent to his nomination by the President on April 3, 1967, and confirmation by the Senate for the appointment of then CAPT Goehring to rank as permanent Rear Admiral from July 1, 1967.
RDM Goehring's World War II campaign and service medals and ribbons include the American Defense Service, American Area, European-African-Middle Eastern Area, Asiatic-Pacific Area, World War II Victory. He also has the Expert Rifle and Pistol Medals, and the Command at Sea Insigne.
RADM Goehring is married to the former Marjorie F. M. of Hingham, Mass. They have two sons, Robert W., Jr., and Thomas M.